Fahrenheit 451

Was it Mildred's intention to attempt suicide (in the beginning of the book)

In part one (The Hearth and the Salamander) of Fahrenheit 451 Mildred (Guy Montag's wife) takes an over dose of sleeping pills. Mildred survives this only because Montag calls 911 in time, but the next day when he questions her about the night before she denies ever taking the pills. There are two possible explanations for this. Either she WAS attempting suicide and was denying it just to assure Montag that everything was fine and she wasn't unhappy, or since Mildred is always listening to the seashell and watching the TV (or talking to the family) she might be so brainwashed that she forgets what she was doing the moment before. IE, taking two pills then another two then another two just because she forgot she had already took two pills.

(I would appreciate your input on the subject)

Asked by
hannah b #89395
on 4/19/2009 4:39 PM

Last updated by
avienne s #87811
on 4/19/2009 8:24 PM

Answers
1

personaly, you know i think that mildred is brainwashed, but i also think that subconciously, she is unhappy. On the outside, she has a totally normal life. She takes part in activities done by all of her friends, she lives in a comforatble living situation, and her husband is a fireman...who protects their society from rebels who think for themselves(even though her husband is a"rebel").

But on the inside her husband works late, and all she has to talk to at home is her"family", and in her mind that might be okay, but on the deep...and i mean deep inside, she might be unhappy. As for why she denies it, its easy to forget that you have done things (of course this would be quite a large thing to froget), and if she took the entire bottle of sleeping pills.... then it would not have taken long for her to be out cold.So Maybe in her mind it never did happen , obviously this is extremely denial somewhere, but there is that possiblity. So this isnt a really clear answer, but its just my best guess at why i think she denied overdosing, and its the best way i have to put it. So hope this helps.